Conservation of Cultural Heritage Objects

Research in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage Objects includes natural science, technical studies, material analysis, and material technology with the common goal of improving the understanding and practice of conservation. Decision-making and conservation measures are integrated to assess the risks of agents of deterioration and to simplify measures and reduce costs—issues that are the focus of several projects. An additional research area is object conservation pedagogy.
Conservation research, on the other hand, is also dependent up on the theories and methodologies of the social sciences and humanities for its documentation, historical perspectives, and studies of various decision-making and evaluation processes. There are many areas of overlap with the research described in the Built Environment and Craftsmanship sections.
In summary, object conservation research focuses on study, documentation, and teaching methods, using natural science methodology together with cultural historical perspectives to facilitate more informed assessments and decisions.

Energy Efficiency and Preventive Conservation

One major focus of our research is how indoor climate and environment affect materials and cultural heritage property. The “Save and Preserve ” research program, in collaboration with Gotland University, has research projects that address how built-in and loose furnishings are influenced by indoor climate and heating and study the conditions and agents that cause biodeterioration in buildings and collections.
The project is intended to provide the groundwork for developing climate criteria for building conservation. Field studies are carried out in different castles and churches that have varying degrees of climate control.
The Department of Conservation is responsible for the subproject “Climate Criteria for Conservation” through Associate professor Jonny Bjurman. Doctoral candidate, Charlotta Bylund Melin, is working on a thesis project that is developing criteria for healthy indoor climate, while a third, Gustaf Leijonhufvud, is developing guidelines for measuring climate, methods for risk analysis, and implementation and demonstration of these.

Technical Material Studies

One imortant area of research is technical material studies. Advanced analyses of paints, pigments, and binding materials are carried out to understand an object’s history and technology, and to develop appropriate conservation methods. The use of artificial ageing techniques helps create an informed basis for treatment decisions and environmental control. Paleontological studies inform cultural historical understanding and conservation intervention in archeology. Research into the production and use of traditional stuccos contributes to improved durability, historical continuity, and cost effectiveness in restoration.

Doctoral student Ingalill Nyström is conducting analyses of paints, pigments, and binding materials Southern Swedish Painted Tapestries to research their history and technology, and to develop appropriate conservation methods.
Another doctoral student, Johanna Nilsson, is researching artificial aging, helping us to an informed basis for treatment decisions and environmental control.
Associate Professor Margareta Ekroth Edebo is working as an instructor and researcher of microbial biodetoriation as a problem area faced by conservation practitioners.

Departmental research on material properties overlaps with our Built Environment and Craftsmanship areas. Architect Ewa Sandström Malinowski, PhD, is responsible for a multi-year study of stucco used throughout the history of Läckö Castle, part of the department’s research into the use and production of traditional stuccos, which aims to improve durability, historical continuity, and cost effectiveness in restoration.

Associate Professor Jonny Eriksson is exploring stucco and the production of its binding agents from craftsmanship perspectives.